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application/xhtml+xml page with mismatching lang and xml:lang on the html element Screen reader compatibility

HTML WCAG
Sep 11, 2022

Expected Result: works in a screen reader

Actual Result: causes problems in 8 screen reader / browser combinations

In English 'active table' is pronounced 'act-if tay-bill'. In French 'active table' is pronounced 'act-eef tab-le'. In English 'radio' is pronounced 'ray-day-oh'. In French 'radio' is pronounced 'rad-yoh'. In German 'radio' is pronounced 'rah-di-oh'. In English 'dame' is pronounced 'daim'. In French 'dame' is pronounced 'damm'. In German 'dame' is pronounced 'dam-he'.

By default NVDA 2018 uses Windows OneCore voices, which only support language switching if the appropriate Windows language pack is installed. Changing NVDA settings to use the eSpeak voice allows language switching without additional language packs.

WCAG Technique: WCAG 3.1.1 WCAG 3.1.2

Code used for this test:


		<html lang='fr' xml:lang='de'>
		<head> 
			<title>Test for mismatching lang and xml:lang</title>
			<meta charset='utf-8'>
			<link rel='stylesheet' href='SR-content-lang.css'>
			<style>
				div:lang(fr)::before { content: "Un, deux, trois"; } 
				div:lang(de)::before { content: "Eins, zwei, drei"; } 
			</style>
		</head>
		<body>
			<h1 lang='en'>Following elements inherit page language - hover to view CSS :lang()</h1>

			<p>garage</p>
			<p>double</p>
			<p>dame</p>
			<div></div>
		</body>
		</html>

Reliability Trend

This graph shows reliability over time for this code in NVDA, JAWS and Voiceover. Other screen readers don't have enough historical data yet to plot trends.

100%80%60%40%20%0%201520162017201820192020202120220%

Change History

Last updated: September 11, 2022

  • Bad NVDA with Chrome Causes problems in NVDA 2022.2
  • Bad NVDA with FF Causes problems in NVDA 2022.2
  • Bad JAWS with Chrome Causes problems in JAWS 2022.2207.25
  • Bad JAWS with FF Causes problems in JAWS 2022.2207.25
  • Bad VoiceOver macOS Causes problems in VoiceOver macOS 12.5
  • Bad VoiceOver iOS Causes problems in VoiceOver iOS 15.6
Screen readerBrowserModeNotesWhat the user hears
Fail NVDA 2022.2Chrome 105 Reading Speech pronounced as lang=fr, but CSS matches :lang(de) and German CSS content pronounced as French. Ga-raj. Doo-ble. Damm. Un, zwoy, dry-i.
Fail NVDA 2022.2FF102 Reading Speech pronounced as lang=fr, but CSS matches :lang(de) and German CSS content pronounced as French. Ga-raj. Doo-ble. Damm. Un, zwoy, dry-i.
Fail NVDA 2022.2Edge 105 Reading Speech pronounced as lang=fr, but CSS matches :lang(de) and German CSS content pronounced as French. Ga-raj. Doo-ble. Damm. Un, zwoy, dry-i.
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25Chrome 105 Reading Speech pronounced as lang=fr, but CSS matches :lang(de) and German CSS content pronounced as French. Ga-raj. Doo-ble. Damm. Un, zway, dray.
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25FF102 Reading Speech pronounced as lang=fr, but CSS matches :lang(de) and German CSS content pronounced as French. Ga-raj. Doo-ble. Damm. Un, zway, dray.
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25Edge 105 Reading Speech pronounced as lang=fr, but CSS matches :lang(de) and German CSS content pronounced as French. Ga-raj. Doo-ble. Damm. Un, zway, dray.
Fail VoiceOver macOS 12.5Safari 15.6 Reading Speech pronounced as lang=fr, but CSS matches :lang(de). Ga-raj. Doo-ble. Damm. Un, zway, dray.
Fail VoiceOver iOS 15.6Safari iOS 15.6TouchSpeech pronounced as lang=fr, but CSS matches :lang(de) and German CSS content pronounced as French. Ga-raj. Doo-ble. Damm. Un, zway, dray.

SortSite rules: AccPageLangMissing AccPhraseLangMissing

Test notes

All tests were carried out with screen reader factory settings. JAWS in particular has a wide variety of settings controlling exactly what gets spoken.

Screen readers allow users to interact in different modes, and can produce very different results in each mode. The modes used in these tests are:

  • Reading Content read using the “read next” command in a screen reader
  • Tabbing Content read using the “tab” key in a screen reader
  • Heading Content read using the “next heading” key in a screen reader
  • Touch Content read when touching an area of screen on a mobile device

In the “What the user hears” column:

  • Commas represent short pauses in screen reader voicing
  • Full Stops represent places where voicing stops, and the “read next” or “tab” or “next heading” command is pressed again
  • Ellipsis … represent a long pause in voicing
  • (Brackets) represent voicing that requires a keystroke to hear